Development of a high energy biscuit for use as a food supplement in disaster relief

International aid agencies undertake supplementary feeding programmes following disasters in order to alleviate or prevent protein energy malnutrition. The associated problems include lack of facilities for preparation and distribution of food on site and food hygiene dangers. In response to these factors a biscuit of high calorific value and acceptable organoleptic qualities has been developed. It is currently being used by Oxfam as part of their disaster relief programme in Ethiopia.     

考虑单侧翼缘受载腹板屈曲的不锈钢钢管设计

本文给出了冷成型不锈钢方钢管和矩形钢管在腹板屈曲时的设计公式。研究了两种单翼缘加载的情况,一种是端部单翼缘加载,另一种是内部单翼缘加载,此外还研究了内部加载的情况。采用屈服线理论预测了不锈钢管截面的腹板屈曲强度。屈服线理论模型是在试验中观察到的破坏模式的基础上发展起来的。在屈服线模型基础上采用不同的假定,给出了计算冷成型不锈钢方钢管和矩形钢管的腹板屈曲强度的三种设计方法。其中两种腹板屈曲设计方法是完全采用屈服线分析理论推导出来的,另外一种设计方法是综合理论分析和经验分析得到的。将试验得到的腹板屈曲强度和这三种设计方法得到的屈曲强度进行了对比。结果表明采用纯理论推导得到的设计方法计算得到的腹板屈曲设计强度偏于保守,而综合了理论分析和经验分析得到的设计方法其计算的腹板屈曲设计强度值比较合理,可以用于单翼缘受载时冷成型不锈钢管的设计。     

A framework for modern manufacturing economics

Modern manufacturing economics is an interdisciplinary research subject which deals with the cycles of performance measurement, cost estimation, and decision analysis that are enmeshed with quantification of ill-structured benefits of advanced manufacturing technologies (AMT). This paper proposes a framework of modern manufacturing economics by examining recent research trends of AMT economics. It underscores integrated, quantitative, global, and strategic studies of AMT economics.     

PUBLIC OPINION,TRADITION, AND INFORMATION HALF-LIFE†

The information needs of a complex society are not met by an information-flow technology invented and developed in traditional societies. This article provides a theoretical framework derived from modern systems theory by which to understand the technology of public opinion policy formation in guidance operations of a complex society. Qualitative models of information flow systems are presented together with a discussion of the kind of society each information flow technology produces. Three are considered: tradition-based information-flow societies, managed information-flow societies (Utopian and elitist), and cybernetic issue-based information-flow societies.     

The development of a method for the extraction of carotenoids and chlorophylls from grapevine leaves and berries for HPLC profiling

Background and Aims: Carotenoids and chlorophylls perform a number of essential roles in plants making their accurate quantification important to a variety of studies. We aimed to develop an extraction protocol to accurately determine the photosynthetic pigments in grapevine leaf and berry tissue, specifically focusing on limiting the degradation of these pigments. Methods and Results: An extraction protocol for grapevine leaf and berry tissue was systematically optimised by identifying a number of critical parameters. Extracted pigments were analysed using Reversed Phase-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC). Specific parameters that were optimised included avoiding freeze-drying the material; the volume of acetone and the time required to extract all the pigments from the tissue; the addition of 0.1% (v/v) N-ethyldiisopropylamine to berry extracts to minimise pigment degradation during the extraction procedure; and avoiding concentration of the extracts that otherwise resulted in differential degradation of pigments. Additionally, the method of extraction and normalisation with an internal standard was adapted and improved for accuracy. The optimised protocol was validated using authentic standards and its utility shown by analysing the pigment content of berries and leaves at different growth stages. Conclusions: A method has been developed that is able to extract and accurately quantify, by means of HPLC profiling, the levels of photosynthetic pigments from grape berries and leaves. The method avoided any degradation of the pigments during the extraction and was applicable to both berries and leaves in different stages of growth and development, indicating its general usefulness to vegetative and reproductive organs, even if their metabolic states are very different. Significance of Study: The divergence of methods used for photosynthetic pigment analysis in plants, each with specific advantages and disadvantages were considered and used to optimise a number of parameters in a single method that proved to be applicable to plant organs in different developmental stages. The method is fast, applicable to vegetative and reproductive grapevine tissues, avoids degradation of pigments and ensures maximum accuracy when quantifying these important pigments.     

Design of class-based storage racks for minimizing travel time in a three-dimensional storage system

This paper deals with a new storage structure layout method called ‘cubic-in-time’, for minimizing the travel time of selected handling equipment in a three-dimensional palletized storage system. Storage-system design algorithms for minimizing travel times are described, the results are analysed, and some general conclusions are drawn.